Crazy Trip

So I had a crazy trip on Saturday getting here to Montana.  I had a flight scheduled for Saturday morning to leave at 7:55 am.  I got an email, which luckily I checked, at 7:22 pm on Friday telling me that my flight had been cancelled and was rescheduled for Sunday morning.  I spent an hour and a half on not one, but 2 different phones, trying to get it changed back to Saturday.  I finally did and was scheduled to fly out on Saturday at 7:12 pm.  

I get to the airport and everything is going great.  It is then announced that the plane is running a little late, but we will be off by 7:30.  I get on the plane, and after sitting there for a few minutes, talking with my neighbor, I realize that there is something wrong.  I don’t know what, but definitely something wrong.  I noticed a guy from the airline come in and ask a guy in 1st class to get up and get off the plane.  He then pulls 2 guys from economy and takes them up to first class where the guy was sitting.  I am confused at this point.  I then see this same guy come in and ask two more passengers, sitting very close to me, to get up and get off the plane.  I hear him tell them that there are passengers on the plane that do not have seats.  I look to the rear of the plane and see 4 people standing in the back.  How in the world do people actually, physically, get on a plane without a seat?  Isn’t that something that should be taken care of before being on the plane.  Then an argument breaks out between some passengers and one of the male flight attendents.  They are asked to leave. So, that seems to take all the passengers off that need to so that we can take off.  Throughout this whole ordeal, I am watching my clock because I have a connecting flight in Denver with an hour layover.  I am also carrying on a conversation with my neighbor while my ADD is kicking in and watching this whole thing.  We took flight finally at 8:30.  I am worried at this point, because my hour layover became a 4 minute lay over.  We made up some time in the air, but not enough to grab a bite to eat in Denver because I hadn’t eaten anything since lunch, and was starving.  I got to my connection just before they closed the doors.  It was crazy, but I made it.  I was sure I was going to be spending the night on the floor of the airport that night.

We made it out to camp, only to find that there is no cell coverage, unless we drive a considerable distance, so connecting with my family is going to be a hit and miss thing this week.  I told Michael he can call me 108 times if he wants, but I won’t always be able to answer the phone.  Actually, I will never be able to answer the phone at this point. 

Scott

Expecting His presence

I am sitting in the Columbus Airport thinking thinking about leaving my family and what the Lord has in store.  I have been delayed in my trip by 12 hours because my trip to Chicago was cancelled this morning which leaves me flying through Denver instead this evening.  That being said, it has caused in some respects a frustration because of spending an hour and a half on the phone last night instead of finishing up packing.  It also gave me more time to worry about what to pack, what not to pack, am I getting in too late,... etc. 

I now have a chance to be past all of that commotion and to think again about why I am going to Montana and believing that the Spirit is going to show up and do some great things.  Even through the distraction, God has given me some words just today to bring into focus the whole week.  

The theme for the week is, "what is your anthem?  What does your heart sing?"  It has been amazing the way this has come together.  Without going into the whole week of talks, let me tell you the words that God has given me for this week.

Get it!

Trust it!

Just do it!

Get rid of it!

It may not make sense by itself, but in the context of where God has be going, this makes a great anthem chorus, and leaves the verses to be filled in by each student individually.

Here is where this is going and you can compare to God's words above.

Listen to God

Trusting God and people and that it is about thier love for you.

Obedience

Getting rid of fear and obstacles in your way of what God told you.

PERFECT!

Pray with me and believe with me that God is going to do amazing things in the lives of the teens, counselors, staff, and camp staff, as well as that I can continue to hear his voice and do what he asks of me.  Pray for the Spirit to be moving, changing lives, and I would go as far as to say to see Him move as He did in the scripture that we hold so dear.  Let His presence be known, seen and felt.  

That is all He wants me to say,

Scott

Waiting, and going

I met with the pastor yesterday about the ministry position.  It was a very encouraging meeting to me, being that it made me want to look further into the possibilities.  As we met, I was able to be up front and honest with him, as well as he with I.  I let him know of my struggles and past ministry, even my not knowing what youth ministry looks like in the context of the journey that God has been taken me on with the concept of Community.  He was able to let me know that there are some things that are happening at the church at this moment that is taking precident, and will place our talk on hold, if not make it impossible at this current time.  

It is not a closed door, but it is going to be a waiting game.  That is not a bad thing.  This has been something that has kind of taken me off guard as well, so a little time to think about it is going to be a good thing.  The good thing is, I am not in the mindset of needing this job, but just seeing what God has in store.  He asked me yesterday what happens if this spot doesn't work, what is plan "B".  I told him that I didn't know.  But now as I have had time to think about the answer, this church in not exactly a plan "A".  It is a plan.  It is like there are an infinite number of ways that my life can go at this point, and they are all plans, and some of them I don't even know about yet.  

That being said, I am now in big time prep for a wild week in Montana.  I will be taking Friday off and spending time with Tauni and the kids.  Then leaving bright and early, 6:00 am on Saturday to fly out to Chicago and then on to Billingsly, to eat lunch with my friend Kyle.

Scott

What are you doing God?

I am going to be meeting with a senior pastor about a ministry position.  I have gotten to this place by following what I believe to be a bread crumb trail from God.  2 weeks ago I had a pastor facebook me about a particular position, that was not at his church, but wondered if I had heard about it.  A second pastor, within a couple of days, asked me if I had applied at this same particular church.  I mentioned it to my wife the next day, and she seemed interested in it.  Half an hour later I was emailing the pastor at this church.  I have no idea where this is going, but I am asking for your prayers in this endeaver.  

I am still in a place that I love what I do, God has changed me so much through this "walking on water", that I hardly want it to change.  But I know that at this time, change is inevitable, in either a positional change, or a change in how I fund the ministry that God has given me.  

I am nervous about meeting this pastor for the fact that I have no idea what God is doing right now.  I had a group of guys get together last week and spend a couple of hours worshipping and praying for direction for the ministry, and where it was leading.  I, of course, was waiting for someone to come out and tell me the exact thing God wanted me to do, but that was not the case.  

There are some things that have changed in my ministry over the past couple of years, and am wondering how that will affect the ministry I would do as part of a staff at a church.  I am not even sure what that looks like anymore.  

I want to be and believe that I am being open to what God is doing.  I just pray that I will be obedient to where he is leading.

Scott

Slow down God

So, I have been taken by storm by God in the last couple of weeks.  God has been speaking very loudly and I am trying to do more than just listen.  A couple of weeks ago, I attended the services at both Water of Life and The Home Church in the same day.  I don't mean because I am super spiritual, but because God obviously knew that I needed it.  It was a very meaningful day and it seemed to be a glass of ice water tossed in my face for a rude awakening, which I needed.  

Pastor Eric at Water of Life was finishing up a series, "Called Out", which was excellent all the way through.  This last one two things really popped out.  

1.  God has called me to be an Evangelist.  A messenger of the Kingdom of God. 

2.  I need to be more disciplined and spend more time with God.  

Pastor Eugene at The Home Church, brought a clarifying message to me.  He told a story of Sherlock Holmes going and waking up Watson and asking him, "What do you see?"  Watson began to point and name the North Star, Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and so on.  Sherlock looked at him and said, "Watson, someone stole our tent."  

As I looked from where I was sitting, I had reallized that I needed God to move the tent that had been blocking me from seeing the heavens and knowing the truths of God.  I had slowly slipped into a frustration, which easily led into being tired of doing.  I felt like I had done everything I could do to try and get some things lined up for the summer, and it doesn't seem to be as full as I would like it.  The struggle and frustration, tired from working hard for little reward was tiring. It made me withdraw from God, and not give him the time that he deserves, or that I need.  That withdrawal gave the enemy a chance to begin to write stuff on my tent that were lies, and I was not able to combat those without the help of my Lord and Savior.  

When I prepare for sharing what God has put on my heart to people, I experience God.  When I am actually in front of people speaking, there is a closeness and understanding of God that I cannot comprehend, but cannot do without.  When I am not speaking, preaching, teaching, I am missing that component to my own spiritual journey, because of how the cloud descends on me while I am listening and speaking.  

What Pastor Eric's sermon told me and is hard for me, and most men, is that I am an Evangelist, but that does not mean just in front of groups.  It is everywhere I go.  An evangelist is not what I do, but who I am.  I do not need to be in front of others to be who I am.

That is all He wants me to say,

Scott

Anthem

So, I wanted to throw out a question.

In the life of being a Christ follower, what is your anthem? What is the song that your heart sings

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pics from Bloomington, IN

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